West Virginia Child Welfare Sued Over Foster Care Abuse & Neglect

On September 20, 2019, a class action lawsuit was filed against the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Bureau for Children and Families (BCF) for foster care abuse and neglect. In Jonathan R. v. West Virginia, the plaintiffs charged the DHHR with failing to provide the necessary services that would protect the plaintiff, including stable placements, therapeutic services, and acceptable care. The complaint alleges that the children were housed in temporary shelters, hotels, institutions, or out-of-state for-profit facilities where they never saw their caseworker and were often subjected to abuse.

The lawsuit . . .